San Francisco Police Share City’s Budget Woes

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SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said the San Francisco Police Department will have to share the pain of this year’s budget cuts, just as some within the department have complained about the loss of police academy classes.

The department was forced to eliminate the classes as part of the new budget and projected $350 million deficit for San Francisco.

KCBS’ Barbara Taylor Reports:

San Francisco Police Share City’s Budget Woes

Lee said he’d love to have new classes, but the money just isn’t there.

“The police department is going to be no different than fire, than social services, than the health department. We’re all going to have to face our budgets in a responsible way,” said Lee. “And they all have to do their proportionate share.”

Several police officials have shared their concerns, wondering what will happen if new cadets aren’t available to fill the shoes of officers who leave or retire, a concern that Lee is readily aware of.

“Everyone is going to have to step up. The officers on the street are going to have to know that while they may not have a class, they’re going to have to do just as good of a job as they have been doing,” Lee said.

The department could lose as many as 100 officers in the coming year, although new officers are expected to be recruited as lateral transfers from other police departments.